An experimental study of the effect of humidity on the distribution of charged particles in a glow-discharge plasma

Abstract

The charged-particle distribution in a glow-discharge plasma in air with differing moisture concentration was studied using a double electric probe. An important difference is found in the distribution of charged particles in the discharge, depending on the humidity of the air. The amount of water vapor with a relative concentration of 2% does not affect the distribution of charged particles in the plasma, and, with an increase in moisture content up to 15%, a twofold increase in the ion concentration along the discharge axis is observed.